Dealing with Digital Disease

Written by Sean Felker


A virus is a program that replicates itself. It cannot exist on its own so it attaches to another program, usually an executable one.

A worm is like a virus—it also replicates itself. However, it can stand on its own and does not need another program to run. It usually infects your computer’s networking features, which includes its internet connection.

Spyware and adware go hand-in-hand. Spyware is a kind of program which gathers information, specifically browsing habits.

It tracks down what kind of sites you visit, andrepparttar adware will generate ads that fit with your interest whichrepparttar 147851 spyware based on information it gathered inrepparttar 147852 first place.

Malware is malicious software. It’s any program that is useless, or worse, destructive. A Trojan a program pretending to be good but once it’s deep in your system it proves to be quiterepparttar 147853 opposite.

In spite of all their differences, they have one thing in common: they are out to give you headaches by rendering your computer unusable.

To protect your computer as much as possible from being infected, here are four dangerous activities that you should avoid, or at least minimize:

• Opening email attachments

Do not open any email attachments if they aren’t scanned by antivirus software. Worms can spread through email, so even a friend can unwittingly send you one by way of an attachment.

• Internet File-sharing

In file-sharing viarepparttar 147854 internet, your computer is exposed and open to others it is communicating with. If other computers’ files can be transferred to yours,repparttar 147855 same thing can be said about a virus, ifrepparttar 147856 others are infected.

• Downloading free software of questionable origins.

Free software is free for a reason. If you bothered to readrepparttar 147857 End User License Agreement (EULA) of a software you are installing—which you probably didn’t—you most likely will come upon a short and tiny clause saying that if you agree torepparttar 147858 terms, you are allowing advertisements to pop up on your screen, or other software to be installed in your system.

Don't get trapped by Rogue Anti-Spyware software!

Written by Richard Rossbauer


Recent computer problems raised my suspicions that a hijacker or other malware program had infiltrated its protective software.

Too many crashes and program hang-ups were taking place to be normal. Yes, there really shouldn't be any problems in a virus and spyware free computer.

But, who is blessed with such a pure machine?

The experts nearly all agree that upwards of 90 percent of all computers used to visitrepparttar Internet are infected with some sort of virus, adware, spyware or malware. And even though my startup routine includes automatic sweeps by two different spyware sweepers and one virus scanner, stuff could still get in.

So, I tried a new anti-spyware software advertised in a recent newsletter. This program indicated that two ofrepparttar 146106 nastiest browser hijackers in circulation and two equally nasty malwares were buried in my Registry and 'ini' files!

I was dumbfounded! How did my top rated protective programs miss them? Not only did they get byrepparttar 146107 start-up protective software, but they apparently slipped underrepparttar 146108 gun-sights ofrepparttar 146109 registry monitor that operates inrepparttar 146110 background, andrepparttar 146111 monitor (Webroot SpySweeper) that sweeps before shutdown.

What really aroused my suspicions wasrepparttar 146112 price tag to have this new program removerepparttar 146113 infiltrators. It was quite high compared torepparttar 146114 price for registering any ofrepparttar 146115 popular and highly recommended protective programs, some of which will remove spyware for free.

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use